Nobody expects Motörhead to be a gang of sweethearts. The heavy metal band is renowned for, well, being heavy. But frontman Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister may have made the transition from heavy to criminal last week, after sporting a Nazi cap for a German newspaper's photoshoot.

Nazi paraphernalia is generally illegal under German law, as is anything that could be seen as promoting the movement.

The photograph was taken to promote Motörhead's performance at the July 5 Wacken Rocks Seaside concert in Aurich, Germany. Though no official statement has been issued, there are reports that German prosecutors have launched an investigation.

Lemmy spoke about his collection of Nazi paraphernalia in a December interview with New York Waste. "I don't only collect Nazi stuff, I collect objects from all the Axis countries," he said. "Also from countries who aren't even mentioned anymore as former parts of the Axis. Like Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Finland, Hungary."

"From the beginning of time, the bad guys always had the best uniforms. Napoleon, the Confederates, the Nazis. They all had killer uniforms. I mean, the SS uniform is fucking brilliant! They were the rock stars of that time. What you're gonna do? They just look good."

"It's not a nationalistic kind of thing. Don't tell me I'm a Nazi 'cause I have uniforms. In 1967 I had my first black girlfriend and a lot more ever since then. I just don't understand racism, I never thought it was an option."

If Lemmy doesn't understand racism, we suspect he's also ignorant of the intricacies of German law. But alas, "anti-constitutional propaganda" and "anti-constitutional symbols" - including Nazi souvenirs, flags and even salutes - are illegal under articles 86 and 86a of the German penal code.

So long as their singer's not thrown into a German prison, Motörhead's 20th studio album is still slated for release on August 26.